At first, American Starship were booked to wrestle infrequently; so much so that the two were given ground crew jobs for the Charlotte Orioles (which Jim Crockett owned at the time). When they did get in the ring, it was with little success. The highlight of their stay in Crocket's Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling was a losing challenge to Arn and Ole Anderson for the NWA National Tag Team Championship. After leaving Crockett, the duo joined Bob Geigel's NWA Central States territory (based in Kansas City) in 1985.

They received a shot at NWA Central States Tag Team Champions Marty Jannetty and "Bulldog" Bob Brown, but lost the match. Dan Spivey’s stay in the Central States territory was brief. He returned to the Carolinas and Crockett, jobbing in the freshly rebranded Jim Crockett Promotions as "American Starship" Eagle. Hall, meanwhile, stayed in Central States, receiving a solid push.

Scott Hall, as Texas Scott, competed for the CWA at the "Catch Cup '90" tournament on December 22, 1990 in Bremen, Germany before 6,000 fans. Hall was defeated by the Soul Taker in the tournament final. This big event featured the retirement match of Otto Wanz, as well as Terry Funk, Bull Power (Big Van Vader), Chris Benoit, David Taylor, Fit Finlay, and Akira Nogami in action.

After an injury sidelined him for Starrcade in December 1991, Hall entered 1992 forming short-lived tag teams with Vinnie Vegas and Scotty Flamingo (as part of The Diamond Mine stable), as well as with members of Paul E. Dangerously's Dangerous Alliance.[15] Hall began a feud with Dustin Rhodes in April 1992 when he interfered in two televised matches "The Natural" had with Bobby Eaton.[21] The idea of adding him to the Dangerous Alliance was contemplated, but fell through, and Hall left WCW shortly after a final televised match against Ron Campbell on May 8.[15]

Hall joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) later that month, as Razor Ramon, a shady and stylish Cuban American bully from Miami.[7][22] The character was modeled after the characters Tony Montana and Manny Ribera from the movie Scarface.[22] Ramon's nickname (The Bad Guy) and catchphrase ("Say hello to The Bad Guy") derive from Montana's quotes: "Say hello to my little friend" and "Say goodnight to the bad guy".[22] He made his first appearance in a dark match on a Wrestling Challenge taping against Chris Hahn on May 18, 1992.[23] Later in his career, Hall claimed he pitched the idea of a Scarface-like character during a meeting with Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson, as a joke.[7] Hall quoted lines from the film with a Cuban accent and gave ideas for vignettes that would recreate several of the film's scenes, such as driving around South Florida in a convertible with a leopard-skin interior.[7] Although taken right from the film, Hall claims McMahon and Patterson were nevertheless floored by the ideas and called him a "genius".[7] Hall later learned that neither McMahon nor Patterson had ever seen nor heard of the film, and believed that Hall was coming up with the ideas himself. Patterson and McMahon came up with the name "Razor", but agreed with Hall's suggestion that it should be a nickname, and that the character should have a proper given name. Hall later asked Tito Santana for a Latino-sounding name that starts with "R". Santana suggested "Ramon", Hall brought it back to McMahon and the name stuck.[7] The Razor Ramon logo and costume were designed by Tom Fleming.[24]

After weeks of introductory vignettes, Razor Ramon made his ring debut on the August 8, 1992 episode of Superstars, defeating local jobber Paul Van Dow with his finishing move, The Razor's Edge (previously called "The Diamond Death Drop" in WCW).[25] Early on, Ramon wore large gold chain necklaces to the ring. While handing them to an attendant at ringside he would threaten "Something happens to this, something gonna happen to you", and then flick his toothpick at the hapless attendant.[7]

Razor's first major angle began on the September 14 edition of Prime Time Wrestling, when he interfered in a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match between champion Randy Savage and Ric Flair, attacking Savage on the floor and enabling Flair to win the title.[26] As a result, Razor and Savage started a feud, which later involved The Ultimate Warrior, after Warrior saved Savage from a post-match beating by Razor.[26] Razor and Flair were scheduled to face The Ultimate Maniacs (Savage and Warrior) at Survivor Series. However, Warrior was fired from the WWF prior to the event and replaced by Flair's "executive consultant", Mr. Perfect. Razor and Flair lost to Savage and Perfect via disqualification, for constantly double-teaming them.[22][27]

On the May 17 episode of Monday Night Raw he suffered an upset loss to jobber"The Kid" (who consequently became known as "The 1–2–3 Kid"), beginning feud between the two.[2][22][31] It carried into the King of the Ring tournament and triggered a slow fan favorite turn for Razor, as he gained respect for The 1–2–3 Kid and support from the crowd.[2][7][22]Ted DiBiase, however, did not show respect for Razor, making fun of him for losing to such a small jobber. Ramon helped The 1–2–3 Kid defeat DiBiase.[32] The feud culminated at SummerSlam, where Ramon defeated DiBiase in DiBiase's final WWF match.[33]

On the October 4, 1993 episode of Monday Night Raw, a 20-man battle royal was held; the last two participants would face each other the next week for the vacant WWF Intercontinental Championship. Razor and Rick Martel were those final two.[34][35] The next week on Raw, Razor pinned Martel after a Razor's Edge to win the Intercontinental Championship.[36]

Razor continued to feud with Michaels and his bodyguardDiesel. On the April 30 episode of Superstars, he lost the Intercontinental Title to Diesel, after interference from Michaels.[40] At SummerSlam, Razor (with Walter Payton in his corner) defeated Diesel to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship for a second time, after Shawn Michaels accidentally hit Diesel with Sweet Chin Music.[41][42]

At Survivor Series, he captained a team called "The Bad Guys", consisting of himself, The 1–2–3 Kid, Davey Boy Smith, and The Headshrinkers (Fatu and Sione). They faced The Teamsters (Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Jeff Jarrett). Ramon ended up the sole survivor of the match. This began a feud with Jeff Jarrett, which led into the next year.[37][43] At the 1995 Royal Rumble, Razor lost the Intercontinental Championship to Jarrett, in controversial fashion; Jarrett had originally won the match by count-out, but demanded that the match be restarted so he could win the title. It was, and Jarrett pinned Razor with a small package.[44][45] Razor faced Jarrett in a rematch for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania XI, winning by disqualification when Jarrett's assistantThe Roadie interfered. Jarrett retained the title, as a title cannot change hands by countout or disqualification.[46] Razor defeated Jarrett and The Roadie at In Your House 1, in a handicap match.[47]

Razor had an Intercontinental Championship ladder match (a rematch from WrestleMania X) against the new champion Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam,[2][7][45] but lost.[51] He then began a feud with Dean Douglas. Razor defeated Douglas at In Your House 4 for the Intercontinental Championship, after Michaels had just forfeited the title to Douglas.[52]

In early 1996, Razor feuded with newcomer Goldust, leading to an Intercontinental Championship match at the Royal Rumble. Razor lost the title to Goldust after Razor's former partner The 1–2–3 Kid attacked him.[53] Ramon was originally scheduled to face Goldust in a rematch for the title at WrestleMania XII in a Miami Street Fight, but Hall was suspended for six weeks by the WWF due to his drug use.[54] He returned to WWF television at April's In Your House 7, where he lost to Vader.[55]

He became associated with the backstage group known as The Kliq (also consisting of Kevin Nash (Diesel), Paul Levesque (Hunter Hearst Helmsley), Shawn Michaels, and Sean Waltman (The 1–2–3 Kid)).[54] Hall was involved in "The MSG Incident". Because Hall and fellow Kliq member Kevin Nash were departing for WCW, the pair (along with Michaels and Levesque) broke kayfabe by celebrating and embracing in the ring together, though the characters they portrayed were supposed to be enemies. According to Hall, he went to WCW not for the money, but because they offered him days off.[56]

Hall returned to WCW for a third time after leaving the WWF with an unannounced promo on May 27, 1996, in which he appeared from the crowd in street clothes and claimed to be "an outsider."[57] On June 10, he was joined by Kevin Nash. They stated they were undertaking a hostile takeover of WCW, then slammed interviewer Eric Bischoff through the commentator's table.[57] The angle paralleled the real-life competition between WCW and the WWF.[57] At Bash at the Beach, Nash and Hall (now known as The Outsiders)[58] challenged Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage to a six-man tag team match, saying they had a mystery partner. That partner turned out to be Hulk Hogan, and the three formed the New World Order (nWo).[59] The stable stormed WCW, recruiting such stars as Syxx and The Giant.[59]

On the January 12, 1998 episode of Nitro, The Outsiders defeated The Steiner Brothers to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship for a fourth time.[60] Hall wrestled Larry Zbyszko at Souled Out and lost by disqualification.[65] The Outsiders lost the title back to The Steiner Brothers on the February 9 episode of Nitro.[66] At SuperBrawl VIII, The Outsiders won the WCW World Tag Team Championship for a fifth time, again by defeating The Steiner Brothers.[60] At Uncensored, Hall got his WCW World Heavyweight Championship shot against Sting, losing the match despite interference on his behalf from Dusty Rhodes.[67] Hall was (legitimately) taken off TV for a short while and forced by WCW to enter rehab, after he and Nash showed up to the March 16, 1998 episode of Nitro heavily intoxicated and under the influence of painkillers.[66][68] While Hall was absent, the nWo split into two feuding factions.[66] At Slamboree, Hall returned to team with Kevin Nash, for a tag team title defense against Sting and The Giant. Hall turned on Nash, costing them the title, and switched sides to align himself with Hulk Hogan and his splinter faction, nWo Hollywood.[66][69][70]

On the July 6 episode of Nitro, Hall was handpicked by Hogan to wrestle United States Heavyweight ChampionBill Goldberg.[66] Hall lost the match, giving Goldberg a shot at Hogan's World Heavyweight Championship later that night (which Goldberg won).[66] Hogan publicly blamed Hall for the loss, and Hall was treated as a "weak link" by the rest of the nWo, especially Scott Steiner.[66] On July 13, Hogan challenged Hall to a match on Nitro, during which Kevin Nash (leader of the nWo "Wolfpac" faction) interfered, but As he was apparently about to Jacknife Powerbomb Hogan and regain Hall as his friend, Hall viciously attacked him, proving his allegiance to Hogan and nWo Hollywood.[66] In the following weeks, Hall mocked Nash, calling himself "Medium Sexy (later "Super Sexy"), the Nash Killer".[66] On the July 20 episode of Nitro, Hall (with The Giant) won the WCW World Tag Team Championship for a sixth time,[60] defeating Sting and Nash after outside interference from Bret Hart (who was feuding with Sting at the time).[66] This reign ended at Halloween Havoc, when Rick Steiner defeated The Giant and Scott Steiner (who replaced Hall) to win the title, even after Rick's partner Buff Bagwell had turned on him.[66] Hall and Nash faced each other on October 25 at Halloween Havoc. After hitting Hall with two Jacknife Powerbombs, Nash left the ring and lost the match by countout, in what was described by the commentators as an act of mercy.[66][71]

Hall was ejected from nWo Hollywood in late 1998, after Scott Steiner took control of the group in Hogan's absence, and then referred to himself as "The Lone Wolf".[66] On November 30, 1998, Hall needed a tag team partner to face Steiner and Horace Hogan. Initially, Hall said he would do it alone, but Kevin Nash came to the entrance and offered his help. The team (no longer billed as The Outsiders) won the match. At Starrcade, Hall, disguised as a security guard, used a stun gun on WCW World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg during his title defense against Kevin Nash. Not having seen the interference, Nash powerbombed and covered Goldberg to become the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and break Goldberg's 173 match winning streak.[66]

Hall and Nash were allied again and, in January 1999, the two nWo factions rejoined.[72] Hall feuded with Goldberg and faced him in a ladder taser match on January 19 at Souled Out. He lost the match when Goldberg used the taser gun on him.[72][73]

On the November 8 episode of Nitro, Hall defeated Goldberg, Bret Hart, and Sid Vicious in a Texas tornado ladder match to regain the United States Heavyweight Championship.[75] Two weeks later, at Mayhem, he defeated Rick Steiner by forfeit to also win the WCW World Television Championship.[76] He successfully defended both titles against Booker T later that night.[77] Eight days later, on Nitro, Hall vacated the Television title by throwing it into a trash can.[72] He was soon stripped of his United States title, after being sidelined with a knee injury.[75]

Hall and Nash teamed up to defeat Bret Hart and Goldberg on the December 13 episode of Nitro, winning the WCW World Tag Team Championship for the sixth time together.[60][78] Soon afterwards, Hall was injured again and the tag team title was vacated.[72]

After the nWo returned in December 1999, Hall joined Kevin Nash, Bret Hart, Jeff Jarrett, and Scott Steiner in what was coined "nWo 2000."[79] Hall feuded with WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sid Vicious, and nWo teammate Jeff Jarrett, over the world title. Sid pinned Hall in a match also involving Jarrett at SuperBrawl on February 20. This was Scott Hall's last appearance in WCW.[80]

On Kayfabe Commentaries' "YouShoot" interview series in 2015, Hall said he was having an "on-and-off relationship with Emily Sherman, who was a production assistant and her uncle was Brad Siegel, president at TNT"; they were in Europe and a former girlfriend that worked at the hotel met with Hall at his room to which Sherman encountered them. As a result, Hall was asked not to go on the plane back.[81] Reports indicate that Siegel was made aware of this and as a result, Hall had little chance to go back to WCW.[82]

Hall was released from WWE after Insurrextion in 2002. His last appearance was in a 6-man tag match (Hall, Big Show, X-Pac vs Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bradshaw, and Ric Flair) on the May 6 episode of Raw.

On the November 1 episode of Impact!, Kevin Nash "predicted" Hall would be Sting's mystery partner at Genesis. The next week, Hall made his return, rebuffing the romantic advances of Kurt Angle's wife, Karen, then battling Kurt in his dressing room. He stated he was in TNA solely to confront Nash. Hall asked Nash why he was not there to help him in his troubled past, and Nash responded that it was a result of his own nonstop partying and risk of losing his family. Hall then claimed that all was forgiven and the two embraced in the ring. He also revealed that he was not Sting's mystery partner. The reunited Outsiders and Samoa Joe began a feud with The Angle Alliance. They were scheduled to compete together at Turning Point, but Hall no-showed.

On the January 4, 2010 three-hour Monday night live episode of Impact! Hall and Sean Waltman returned to TNA. That same night, Hulk Hogan made his TNA debut. Hall, Nash and Waltman quickly reformed their alliance, but Hogan kept himself out of the group, claiming "times have changed".[88] The following week, the revived alliance was named "The Band".[89]

Hall was scheduled to team with Nash at Genesis in a match against Beer Money, Inc., but was replaced by Waltman (as Syxx-Pac). In the end, Hall inadvertently cost his stablemates the match.[90] On the next episode of Impact!, Hogan, displeased with the actions of The Band, had security remove Hall and Waltman from the arena, since they were not under contract with TNA.[91] Despite this, Hall and Syxx-Pac continued returning to Impact! to assault various wrestlers. On the February 4 episode, they turned on Nash and beat him down.[92] At Destination X, Hall and Syxx-Pac faced Nash and Eric Young in a tag team match, with The Band's TNA future on the line. In the end, Nash turned on Young and helped The Band win, earning them contracts with TNA.[93]

On the March 29 episode of Impact!, The Band lost a six-man tag team steel cage match to Eric Young, Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy.[94] At Lockdown, Hall and Nash lost to Team 3D in a "St. Louis Street Fight".[95] On the May 3 Impact!, Eric Young turned on Team 3D and joined The Band.[96] On May 4, at the taping of the May 13 episode of Impact!, Hall teamed with Nash, cashed in his "Feast or Fired" contract and defeated Matt Morgan to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.[97] Nash later declared Young one third of the champions, citing the "Freebird Rule".[98][99]

On the June 14 Impact! taping, The Band was stripped of the Tag Team Championship, due to Hall's real-life legal problems.[100] The following day, it was announced Hall had been released from TNA after 8 years of working part-time for the company.[101]

The next night, Hall won his second World Championship, the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship, by defeating Carlito and champion Apollo in a Three-Way Dance main event.[102] On August 4 and September 23, Hall successfully defended the title against Eddie Colón. On October 27, managed by Rico Casanova, he retained the title at WWC's Halloween Wrestling Xtravaganza, defeating Orlando "Fireblaze" Colon.

On October 6, 2007, at Evansville Invasion, Corporal Robinson, Hall, and Violent J formed the Juggalo World Order (JWO) stable.[104] At the 2007 Hallowicked After Party, on October 31, Shaggy 2 Dope was introduced as a member of the group. After the main event, special guest refereeNosawa ripped off his referee shirt to reveal that he, too, was a member of the JWO.[104] At Bloodymania II, Hall teamed with Kevin Nash, who proclaimed himself a member of the group. At the 2008 Hallowicked After Party, the JWO inducted its newest member, 2 Tuff Tony.

On May 3, 2010, Hall appeared in Continental Championship Wrestling. He and Syxx-Pac escorted Ricky Ortiz to the ring for his match with Navy Seal (which Ortiz won). On January 14, 2011, Hall managed Ortiz at a Vintage Pro Wrestling show with Ortiz, Hall made an impact costing Kennedy Kendrick the match but when Ortiz continued beating on Kendrick it was reversed.

On January 8, 2011, Hall appeared at I Believe in Wrestling in Orlando, talking about his health before bringing out Ortiz for his match with "Hotshot" Mike Reed. Hall along with Nash and Waltman made an appearance at the 2011 Gathering of the Juggalos. On July 14, 2012, Hall appeared at Belleview Pro Wrestling, accompanying his son, Cody, to the ring for his match against Josh Hess.

On May 13, 2015, Global Force Wrestling (GFW) announced Hall as part of their roster.[109] However, on May 18, 2015, Hall was released from his contract with GFW.

On January 30, 2016, Hall took part of World Association Of Wrestling television tapings, which took place in the Epic Studios at Norwich, England. It was aired on Mustard TV on September 10, 2016.[110]

On March 24, 2014, Hall was announced as the seventh and final inductee into that year's class of the WWE Hall of Fame. He was inducted in New Orleans on April 5, the night before WrestleMania XXX.[111]Shawn Michaels, Triple H, X-Pac and Kevin Nash joined Hall onstage after his speech, reuniting The Kliq. WWE promotional material for the event referred to him solely as Razor Ramon, without footage or mention of his work under his real name. At WrestleMania XXX, Hall, as Razor Ramon, appeared onstage with the other Hall of Fame inductees.

Hall appeared on the August 11, 2014 episode of Raw for the first time since 2002 to reunite the nWo with Nash and Hulk Hogan to celebrate Hogan's birthday. On the January 19, 2015 episode of Raw, Hall appeared with X-Pac and Nash to reunite the nWo, and along with the APA and The New Age Outlaws they beat down The Ascension, who had been insulting legends from past weeks. At WrestleMania 31, Hall, along with Nash and Hogan, reunited as the nWo to help Sting in his match against Triple H, who had D-Generation X helping on his behalf.

During Hall's fourth reign as WWF Intercontinental Champion, he appeared in character as Razor Ramon on The Jerry Springer Show. As part of his appearance, Hall handed the Intercontinental Championship belt, T-shirts, chain necklaces, and tickets to WrestleMania XII to two preteens that had gotten ceremonially—but not legally—married on an episode of the show two years prior. One of the preteens had AIDS, while the other was a wrestling fan who liked Ramon.[112] However, Hall ultimately did not compete at WrestleMania XII due to his suspension.[54]

Hall married Dana Lee Burgio in 1990. They divorced in 1998 due to Hall's drug use.[115] They remarried in 1999 and divorced again in 2001. He has a son (Cody Taylor, born 1991)[116] and a daughter (Cassidy Lee, born March 27, 1995).[117]

Hall's problems with drugs were made public in the late 1990s and were incorporated into a controversial WCW storyline. During the storyline, Hall was arrested for keying a limousine while intoxicated outside of a night club in Orlando, Florida, causing $2,000 in damages.[118]

After his release from TNA in 2010, Hall checked into rehab paid for by WWE.[119] Hall checked out of the rehab facility in early October 2010.[120] Weeks after he checked into rehab, Hall had both a defibrillator and a pacemaker implanted in his chest.[121] He was hospitalized twice in 2010 for double pneumonia (affecting both lungs).[122] During this time, Hall started having seizures and was soon diagnosed with epilepsy, resulting in him requiring to take eleven different medications on a daily basis to treat his heart and seizure problems.[123]

On April 6, 2011, Hall was reportedly taken to the hospital due to a seizure.[123] Hall's representative, Geena Anac, said Hall was in the hospital that night to be treated for extremely low blood pressure, and that Hall visits his doctor on a regular basis while recovering from double pneumonia, for blood work and checkups.[124] Three days later, TMZ reported Hall had been taken to a hospital, treated for cardiac issues and remained in the hospital for three days. According to medical reports, Hall was being treated after overdosing on both opiates and benzodiazepines.[123]

Longtime friend Kevin Nash claims Hall's substance abuse stems from posttraumatic stress disorder.[125] On October 20, 2011 ESPN's E:60 featured a documentary detailing Hall's experience with drugs and alcohol. It included interviews with several of Hall's family members (including his ex-wife and his son, Cody), as well as several prominent figures and close friends from the wrestling industry (including Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, Eric Bischoff, and Stephanie McMahon).[123]

In early 2013, former professional wrestler Diamond Dallas Page invited Hall into his home in order for Hall to stay sober and "rebuild his life from the ground up... physically, mentally, professionally, and spiritually." Page also initiated a fundraising drive, which raised nearly $110,000 ($30,000 over their $80,000 goal) to pay for hip replacement surgery and dental work for Hall.[126]

In 1983, Hall was charged with second degree murder after shooting a man with his own gun (after wrestling it away from him) in an altercation outside of a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. According to Hall, this was done in self-defense. The charges were dropped due to lack of evidence. In a 2011 interview for ESPN, Hall admitted killing the man and said he is unable to forget the incident.[127]

In 1998, Hall was also arrested for groping a 56-year-old woman outside a hotel in Baton Rouge, LA.[128][129]

On October 10, 2008, Hall was arrested during a roast of The Iron Sheik, held at a Crowne Plaza hotel in New Jersey. A comedian, Jimmy Graham, had joked, "After The Sheik and Hacksaw Jim Duggan got caught snorting coke in the parking lot, his career fell faster than Owen Hart." An enraged Hall charged at Graham and knocked down a podium, then grabbed the microphone from him and yelled about how the joke was disrespectful to Hart.[130] Graham described the incident on his MySpace page, claiming Hall was drunk at the time of the attack.[131]

Hall was arrested on May 14, 2010 and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting a police officer. Police were called to the Hitching Post Bar in Chuluota, Florida after Hall (who had been "drinking heavily", according to the police report), "became aggressive". When they arrived, they found Hall yelling and cursing at amateur wrestling personalities and bar staff. Hall was told he was not allowed to return to the establishment. In his police statement, Hall described himself as an unemployed professional wrestler, despite having a job with TNA Wrestling (who would release him a month later).[101][132]

On April 6, 2012, Hall was arrested in Chuluota, Florida at around 9:31 p.m., by deputies of the Seminole County Sheriff's office. The arrest was later reported to be for a domestic disturbance involving his girlfriend, Lisa Howell. Hall allegedly choked Howell while he was drunk. He was taken to a hospital in Seminole County to be medically cleared prior to being taken to a drunk tank.[133] Hall denied the choking allegations.[134] The prosecutor dropped the charges, citing insufficient evidence.[135]